The city was Omaha, Nebraska and it was the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. Joey El had just finished an epic mixed tag match with her Nexus friends Windham "Husky Harris" and Joe "Michael McGillicutty" Henning against Kofi Kingston and Adam "Edge" Copeland and Beth Phoenix. Once again the young beauty had been able to showcase her wrestling ability. Her skill level had only improved in her short time of being incorporated into the Nexus faction and she had learned a lot from the guys. It was great being in that match with those performers in front of an enthusiastic live audience. But what Joey was looking most forward to was what was to follow after the show.

She'd had enough of her on again off again married boyfriend, Stu Bennett. They had broken up before but this time she had held out longer than others. Their legendary fights had been too much and Joey was tired. She was tired of the way Stu treated her, she was tired of the lies, of the violent side that came out of him when he drank too much or when he got annoyed with her. And she was definitely tired of his wife. There had been a brief period when the estranged lovers didn't talk. Once communication resumed, it had been hampered by the usual arguing. When Joey had decided to ignore him, he had caved and once more was the sweet and charming guy she had fallen for. Joey had stood her ground but the ground had turned into quick sand once Stu had informed her that he and Jackie would not be spending the holiday together and that instead he wanted to take her away.

Joey loved when her colleagues congratulated her after the match. She craved their respect and approval. After the match, she had retreated to the female locker room where she had enjoyed a long shower. After drying off, she had gotten dressed in a new Juicy couture sweatsuit. She had capped it off with cute little snow boots and a ski cap. Adding the finishing touches to her make up job, Joey grinned in the mirror. Looking good on the slopes was just half the battle. Checking her phone, she smiled when she read the text message and saw that Layla had already begun a vacation in Santa Barbara, California with some girlfriends. Now Joey was free to enjoy her own time off.

"What's up with you?" Heath frowned as she practically bounced her way over to him.

"What?"

"That's a whole lot of pink," he teased. "You're giving me a headache."

"I'm a total snow bunny. What do you think?"

"Looks okay, I guess."

"Heath," she pouted.

"Okay, okay," he chuckled. "You look great. Now where are you headed?"

She frowned.

"If I tell you, you're gonna be mad."

"No I won't."

"Yeah, you will."

"Joey…"

"I'll only tell you if you promise not to be pissed off. You have to pinky swear."

"Alright, alright," he rolled his eyes as she interlocked his little finger with hers.

"Okay, I am flying out tonight to Telluride, Colorado and I am going to spend my Turkey Day on the slopes skiing and snow boarding and drinking hot chocolate and otherwise looking fabulous. It is going to be so fun. I've never taken a trip like this and I'm totally stoked."

"Cool. Sounds like it will be fun. Layla going too?"

Joey cringed.

"This is the part where you're going to be pissed…"

"Love, you look absolutely fetching," Stu grinned, approaching them.

"I'm a snow bunny," she winked.

Stu growled.

"Where's your tail?"

"You get to find it later," she replied saucily. "That's half the fun."

Heath looked like he was going to be sick. Now it all made sense. He couldn't believe it. After everything Joey had been through with Stu, after finding the courage to walk away, she had now gone running back. When would she ever learn? How could she take three baby steps forward, then ten giant steps backward?

"I will pull the car around and load up the bags. PJ and Barbie are riding with us to the airport. We'll let them catch their flight to the Bahamas and you and I will catch our plane to Colorado. I can't wait."

"Me either," she smiled as she watched him walk away.

Heath gave a look of utter disdain.

"David is waiting on me. I guess I'll see you around, Joey. Happy holidays."

"Heath, wait," she grabbed his arm.

"What?" he jerked away.

She shrugged.

"I don't know. You seem mad and I don't want to leave it like this."

"Why would I be mad? This is your life to ruin. You're not a child, Joey. You're making choices and eventually you're the one that is going to have to live with them. There is nothing else I can do or say."

He started to walk away.

"I just feel like I'm disappointing you and I don't want to do that."

"I'm not the one you should worry about disappointing, Joey. Worry more about that person staring back in the mirror."

"Heath…"

"Well, well, well."

Heath and Joey stopped and turned around. Standing in the other entrance to the doorway was Stephanie McMahon Levesque. A skeptical smirk was etched across her lips and her arms were folded.

"Steph, hi," Joey cleared her throat.

"Hello Joey, Heath."

"Stephanie," Heath nodded.

"I was just making the rounds wishing all the talent a very safe and happy five nights off and I was hoping I could catch you two. It seems like I walked in on the end of an argument. My apologies."

"No," Joey forced a grin. "No arguments here. Right, honey?"

"No," Heath chimed right in. "Everything is right as rain."

"Joey, if you'll give me your bags I will load them into the trunk," Stu headed back into the room not paying attention and obviously obliviuous to the presence of the boss who not only doubted him but couldn't wait to catch them all in a lie.

"Mr. Bennett," Stephanie acknowledged with a sinister smile.

Stu looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"Stephanie…fancy seeing you here. What, what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Oh believe me, the pleasure is all mine. I was just wishing everyone happy holidays."

"Same to you," Stu nodded.

"You look very eager to get to the airport. Tell me, are you and Jackie doing anything special this year?"

"I, we, um…no," he nearly choked on his words. "Same old, same old, I suppose."

"Well, please give her my best."

"I will."

Stephanie turned her attention back to Heath and Joey.

"That is certainly a nice outift, Joey."

"Thanks."

"Are you and Heath headed on a ski vacation?"

"I…"

A grinning Heath couldn't control himself.

"No," he spoke up. "I'm actually headed back home to spend Thanksgiving with the fam."

Stephanie looked Joey up and down.

"A tad bit overdressed for West Virginia, aren't you?"

Joey tried to pick up her jaw off the floor.

"I, well…um, we…"

"I think she'll fit right in, won't you lover muffin?" Heath draped an arm around her.

Joey looked like she was about to faint and poor Stu was on the verge of blowing a gasket. The only one who seemed to be enjoying the moment were Heath and Stephanie even if it was for pure devilment alone.

"Thank you, darling," she managed tersely.

"Your first holiday together, how sweet for the two of you. Joey, you must be so excited to meet the whole Miller clan."

"That, I am, Steph. Charleston should be fun."

"It's actually Pineville, babe," Heath gave her a huge smile.

Joey didn't even try to control her facial expression.

"Pineville?" she repeated in horror. "That…that sounds just charming. Wow. Pineville. Pineville, West Virginia for a whole four days."

"I'm sure it will be great. Be sure to take plenty of pictures and tell me all about it," Stephanie told her.

"Of course…"

"As a matter of fact, I am headed back to Connecticut. I'll gladly give you two love birds a ride to the airport and see you off."

"Thank you, Stephanie, that would be awesome," Heath spoke up.

Stephanie nodded.

"I'll meet you guys back outside in 15 minutes."

They watched as she left. When she was out of earshot, the moans and curses began.

"Nice work, you human stain," Stu muttered.

Heath laughed.

"That was not my fault."

"The hell it wasn't…"

"Come on, you two. Wake up and smell the Starbucks. Stephanie is on to us and she is dying to prove it so she can bust all our happy asses and send us right to the unemployment line. She knows we're up to something and you two bouncing around here like star crossed lovers doesn't exactly help our case."

"Great, now what do we do?" Joey groaned.

"You two do whatever you want to. I'm heading back home where the grass is green and the milk is fresh and you don't have to lock your door at night. Turkey with homemade gravy and stuffing along with mashed potatoes, green beans, pinto beans, lima beans, baked beans, hamhocks and chitterlings are waiting on me. Naw mean?"

Stu suppressed the urge to vomit.

"My, that's a lot of beans," Joey tried to shake it off.

"I can't believe this," Stu shook his head.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry," Joey turned to him. "Look, Heath is right. Stephanie might be on to us. We have to be really careful. She is telling us to take pictures and she is insisting on driving Heath and me to the airport. I know you don't want to hear this and I really don't want to say it but I am gonna have to go to West Virginia…"

"Johana…"

"I don't want to but it's the only way and we both know that. Stu, we can't risk getting caught."

Stu grimmaced as he stared Heath down.

"You just love this, don't you?"

"You mean having to take my fake girlfriend, who by the way is probably just gonna whine and cry over your ass the whole time, to meet the family that I love and only get to see once or twice a year? Oh yeah, dude. Just like McDonald's I'm loving it."

Stu turned back to Joey.

"Well, you can't say I didn't try. Johana, I jumped through hoops to give you the romantic holiday you wanted and now look. It's ruined."

"And I'm sorry and you have to know that I would give anything to be with you this Thanksgiving in Colorado, baby. Look, maybe we can work something out, you know? Listen, how about I fly with Heath to Charleston…"

"Pineville," Heath reminded her as he took a bite out of a bright red apple.

"Pineville," she cringed. "Stay like a day and then meet up with you later. We could do that. That way our vacation is not ruined, just postponed for 24 hours. Okay?"

Stu couldn't stop staring daggers at Heath.

"Very well."

A few seconds later, Stephanie returned.

"We all ready?"

"Yes," Joey nodded.

"I will see everyone next week," Stu said begrudgingly.

"Absolutely," Heath took another bite of apple. "Happy Thanksgiving, man."

Stu left and Stephanie, taking a call on her iPhone walked ahead.

"Okay," Joey said more to herself than to Heath. "I can do this. We can do this. It's gonna be fine. We'll act normal in the car, catch the plane, go to West Virginia and like tomorrow night, Thursday morning, tops, I can be on my way to Colorado with Stu and it will all work out and everybody will have a very happy Thanksgiving."

Heath looked at her and shrugged.

"Whatever you want, babe. Look, I'm gonna go home and have a great time with my family and friends. Whether you come with or stay, really doesn't matter."

Joey closed her eyes and cursed to herself. How had she gone from being on top of the world to an all time low in less than 20 minutes? Once again, plans had changed and for Joey that meant one more ride on the roller coaster that had become her life.